


Not Very Exciting...

by tillyenna



Category: Men's Hockey RPF
Genre: Fluff, Idiots in Love, M/M, Off-Season, hockey players are emotionally inept, ship that sails itself, sidney crosby's disgusting jock, so soft
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-13
Updated: 2020-08-13
Packaged: 2021-03-05 22:42:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,756
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25883026
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tillyenna/pseuds/tillyenna
Summary: So, in a video about their offseason, Sid and Nate were shown training in Sid's home gym. Nate explained that he actually owns the house next door, and he also has a gym in it, even a nicer gym than Sid's one, but Sid refuses to train anywhere other than his own gym, so Nate trains there with him - he said he didn't mind, because Crosby also cooks him dinner every night.Yeah. EXACTLY.This ship sails itself. But I write it anyway.
Relationships: Sidney Crosby/Nathan MacKinnon
Comments: 12
Kudos: 133





	Not Very Exciting...

**Author's Note:**

> Title from you and me
> 
> (Not very exciting... but it's you and me, and we'll always... BE TOGETHER...)

It’s surprisingly nice, Andy has them on a ‘rest’ week, which doesn’t actually mean rest, it just means not working as hard as they usually do, and Gabe, Tyson and EJ have decided to descend upon Cole Harbour. The weather isn’t too shabby, so they’re sat out on the deck.

“Hey,” Sid pops his head out of the door, “I have a media call to do,” he points upstairs to his office, “But I’ve brought the beer cooler out for you.”

“Thanks mom.” Nate rolls his eyes, but grabs the cooler from Sid anyhow.

“Jesus,” Tyson whistles, low and under his breath, “How fucking good in bed are you to get Sid Crosby as your pool boy?”

EJ snorts hard enough it’s a good job he isn’t wearing his teeth, because he’d have probably inhaled them.

Nate on the other hand turns instantly bright red, “It’s not like that!” he squawks, looking around to see if Sid had gone and checking he was definitely out of earshot, “We don’t…” He’s flustered now, trying to find the right words, “We aren’t…” he pulls a face, “Sid’s not gay!”

“Is he not?” Gabe frowns, “I always assumed he was.”

“You live with him,” Tyson points out, “Like, I thought he was your boyfriend.”

“No!” Nate’s blushing furiously now, “And I don’t live with him.”

“Erm…” Gabe looks at him like he’s about to contradict him, “You kind of do.”

“I have a house!” Nate points over the fence, where his house is.

“Why aren’t we in your house then?” EJ asks, his eyes sparkling.

Nate gives a shrug, “Sid’s house is better.” He admits sulkily.

“Really?” Tyson presses, “Because I’ve seen your house and I’ve seen Crosby’s house, being as we’re here now… so like, what does his house have that your house doesn’t.”

Nate pauses to try and think, because yeah, his gym is better equipped, and his place actually has more bedrooms and bathrooms than Sid’s does, which is why the boys are staying there, instead of at Sid’s, with him and Sid, and his TV is definitely bigger, and Sid doesn’t even have gaming consoles. “Sid.” He admits quietly, “It has Sid.”

Of course, his asshole friends hoot with delight and continue to tease him about it for the rest of the afternoon.

“Dinner at 7 ok?” Sid sticks his head out onto the deck a few hours later, “I was just thinking steaks, do people have a preference on sides?”

Nate pouts at him,

Sid rolls his eyes, “I’ve already done your sweet potato mash dumbass, I was asking everyone else.”

“Do you want a hand?” Gabe offers, because he’s a nice boy like that.

“Wow,” Sid’s eyes widen comically, “I’m so used to Dogg being utterly incapable in the kitchen I’ve kind of got used to working alone.” He rolls his eyes, but his tone is teasing, “And it’s a lovely offer, but honestly, I’ll just shove a bunch of sides onto plates and then grill them out here.”

“Do you usually cook?” Tyson asks him slyly when he comes back out ready to grill the steaks.

“You’ve seen Nate in the kitchen yeah?” Sid laughs, “It’s easier if I just cook for both of us, don’t have to worry about him accidentally poisoning us that way.”

“Settle a bet for us,” EJ smirks, “When was the last time Nathan slept in his own house?”

Sid laughs, free and easy, “I mean,” he flashes a teasing grin at Nate, “Do you even have clothes there anymore?” He catches sight of the look which crosses Nate’s face, and quickly adds. “I’m teasing, it’s nice, honestly. It’s not like I’ve not got the spare rooms, and it’s better than the two of us rattling around empty houses by ourselves.”

The conversation turns easier over dinner, but as they’re stretching out with yet more beers under the setting sun, Nate hears Tyson gearing up to irritate again.

“So, Crosby,” Tyson asks with a smirk, “We’ve spent all afternoon grilling Nate about his non-existant love life, how about you tell us about yours.”

“Oh no!” Sid laughs, “I ship my teammates off back to their own countries for the summer, so I don’t have to deal with that in the off season.”

“I’m regretting that.” Nate says honestly.

“Hey!” Tyson grins at him, “I’m also from this country, just y’know, a less weird bit.”

Nate and Sid flip him matching middle fingers.

It’s late that evening when his teammates head off to his house, and Nate and Sid head upstairs to their respective bedrooms, and he knows the knowing looks from his friends mean they think that they’re going to the same bedroom, but honestly, they aren’t.

“Sorry about them,” Nate says softly as they walk up the stairs.

“It’s cool,” Sid grins at him, lighter as he always is during the summer, less Sidney Crosby, Captain Canada, and more just… Sid.

“They want to know if you’re gay.” Nate admits softly, “It’s why they asked.”

Sid rolls his eyes, “Planning on setting me up with someone?” He gives a little shake of the head, “Honestly Nate, I have enough of that from my own teammates, I wasn’t kidding.”

“I’ll keep them off your back,” Nate promises, trying to ignore the sinking feeling in his stomach when he noticed how neatly Sid had sidestepped the question.

He almost jumps when Sid’s hand comes up to cup his cheek softly, it’s not that they’re not physical with each other, but this is gentler than Sid usually is with him. “It’s ok Nate.” He says gently, “I like having them here, and I like having you here.”

Nate nods unable to step away until Sid removes his hand himself. He stays stock still on the landing while Sid walks off to his bedroom, heart hammering in his chest, just watching him go like a complete idiot.

They train together the next morning, the five of them, but then Nate’s hired a boat to go out on the water, but Sid cries off, stating he’s too old.

EJ’s not much younger than Sid, and neither is Tyson, but they leave him, because it’s nice to have time just the four of them.

“He is gay.” Gabe says as soon as they’re out on the water, “I texted Horny to ask.”

“You did what?” Nate asks horrified.

“Patrik, he’s on Sid’s team, I figured he might know, so I asked him.”

“It’s not that I didn’t understand you,” Nate squawks, “It’s that I’m horrified you asked.”

“Well I did, and he’s both gay and single, so you should totally hit that.”

“You should,” Tyson agrees, “Like, ultimate NHL power couple right there.”

“Not happening.” Nate glares at his friends, “I’m not risking the best friendship I have just because you guys think I should ask him out on a date.”

“Ouch!” EJ stares at him.

“I thought I was your best friend.” Tyson whines.

Gabe shakes his head, “That’s me T-Bear.” He corrects, “I’m Nate’s best friend.”

“You’re all fired.” Nate tells them, “Unless you leave me and Sid alone.”

It’s too late however, they’ve put the idea in his head, and ok, if Nate’s being brutally honest with himself he’s always had a crush on Sid, but what hockey player of his age doesn’t, they grew up with Sid The Kid being their idol, and frankly, Nate more than most due to growing up in the same damn town. He’s always been good at ignoring said crush, because it’s not what Sid needs, Sid doesn’t need another fan, he has thousands of fans, what he needs is Nate being Nate.

“I wish you’d never told me.” Nate sighs, watching Sid’s broad back as he strides off down the trail in front of them all.

“That he’s gay?” Gabe asks softly, “Nathan, you’re ok, honestly, I think he’s waiting for you.”

Nate snaps his head up, because his first thought is that Gabe means Sid is waiting for him to catch up, but then he realises his friend is speaking metaphorically. “I don’t know.” He sighs.

“Just think on it, ok?” Gabe asks him.

Nate nods, he can think on it, it seems he has no choice anyway, as it’s all that’s in his mind these days.

His teammates leave after a couple of days, and Andy has them back at the grind, working themselves to the bone. They’re lying, exhausted on the deck after training when Sid suddenly asks.

“You think we should get a hot tub?”

Nate frowns, because on one hand, yes, on the other hand, his brain has caught on the ‘we’ part of that sentence. “Erm,” he squeaks.

“I mean, just for after training, taking a soak, might be nice. I can’t ever stand having a bath because I feel like it should have ice in y’know?”

Nate shrugs, “So get a hottub,” he says, “Not like you can’t afford it.”

Sid rolls his eyes, not bothering to look over at Nate, “Yeah, but what if it ruins the look of the deck, like, where would we put it?”

The pesky ‘we’ word has come up again, and Nate can feel it nagging at the back of his mind. He wants to yell at Sid, wants to snap ‘there is no ‘we’’ and storm off to his own house, but Sid doesn’t need that from him, Sid needs Nate to be chill, and if there’s anything Nate’s good at, it’s giving Sid what he wants. “It’d look great.” Nate tells him. “We could put it over there.” He waves his hand to a corner of the deck that gets the most sunlight in the evenings, “Watch the sun setting while we drink beer in the hot tub.”

Sid groans as he rolls over, climbing to his feet, “I’m gonna go order us a hot tub.”

“For someone who hasn’t bought a new jock in seventeen years, you sure are good at impulse purchases.” Nate teases him.

“Thirteen years.” Sid corrects, like that makes it any better.

Nate can feel his heart hammering in his chest. So he messages the boys.

N: Sid’s buying us a hottub.  
N: Yes. US. He was very insistent about that.  
T: You know how I totally thought you two were dating…  
T: Does Sid think you’re dating?  
N: WHAT? NO!

Nate shoves his phone back in his pocket as soon as Sid comes back out, he can’t risk having that conversation visible.

“The boys?” Sid asks casually.

Nate nods, “Chirping me about us being old marrieds again.” It’s not the truth, but it’s not exactly a lie either.

“Eh,” Sid reaches down and ruffles his hair, “It’s not so bad no?”

Nate grins up at him, turning his head so Sid’s hand slides down from his hair to his cheek. “I’m good with it.” He says softly.

The hot tub takes a week to arrive, which implies that Sid paid extra, but the thing about Sid is when he wants something, he really wants something, and he’s not the type to be patient about it – yet another reason Nate adds to the list of rebuttals when Gabe suggests that Sid’s waiting on him to make a move. Sid doesn’t wait on anything or anyone.

The first night it’s there however, sinking in with a beer in one hand, and Sid next to him, Nate can’t help but let out a groan.

“Heavenly.” Sid grins at him, reaching out to knock their feet together.

Nate nods, but he isn’t oblivious to the way Sid leaves his foot exactly where it was, so their feet are resting against each other. His entire being is focused on that one point where the two of them touch.

He feels the question bubbling up inside of him, and it’s out of his mouth before he can stop it. “Are we dating?”

Sid laughs, his stupid honking laugh, and Nate can feel himself getting redder and redder by the minute. “We’re not dating Mac,” Sid tells him when he’s calmed down enough.

“Sorry.” Nate pouts a little, “Guess the boys were getting in my head a little.”

It’s quiet for a moment, and then Sid sighs, and asks, “Do you wish we were?”

Nate can’t answer him, can’t even look at him, he just shrugs.

“Oh,” Sid says softly, acting like Nate has said no, “Just me then.”

At that, Nate’s head snaps up, and whereas before he couldn’t look at Sid, now he can’t look away. “You wish we were dating?” His eyes widen in surprise, “I didn’t even know you liked me?”

“You think I cook you dinner every night because I don’t like you?” Sid asks teasingly, “Of course I like you Nate.”

“As a friend, sure.” Nate carries on, “Not like that.”

Sid gives a shrug, “Yes like that,” He tells him, “Is that a problem?”

“No!” Nate assures him quickly, “Obviously not, I mean… me too.”

“I know.” Sid grins at him.

“You knew?” Nate looks at him, utterly horrified, “And you like me back, and you didn’t think to say anything?”

Sid gives a shrug, and then blushes slightly as he stares down at the bubbling water, “I don’t know if you’ve noticed this Nate, but I’m not very good with change.”

“You bought a fucking hot tub.”

Sid laughs, “That was an easy change,” he looks over at Nate, “I don’t think I could cope with the idea of changing what we have between us.”

Nate freezes for a minute, because he doesn’t want to upset Sid, but the idea of letting this slip past him, the idea that this is so close to being a possibility, and could slip away. “We could add to it.” He says softly. “Not change us, just add to it.”

Sid grins at him, “This is why it’s you.” He says, “I don’t, I’m not…” he gives a little frown, “I’m not good at connecting with people, but you get me Nate, you always get me.”

Nate gives a shrug, “I try.” He says, it’s an easier explanation than trying to explain that of course he gets Sid, he’s studied everything there is to study about Sid.

“What would you like to add?” Sid looks nervous, of course he wouldn’t look nervous to anyone who didn’t know him really well, but he’s plastering on his media face, and that means he’s pre-emptively protecting himself.

“For now?” Nate smiles easily, “How about some extra cuddles.” It easy, and yeah, it’s tame, but the idea of feeling Sid pressed up against him is better than anything in this world.

Sid nods, and slides along the bench of the hot tub until he’s pressed into Nate’s side, awkwardly trapping their arms together, flashing a grin at Nate.

Nate rolls his eyes, and squirms his arm free, wrapping it around Sid and pulling him closer into his side, using his other hand to lace their fingers together. “Just this.” He says with a soft sigh.

Sid nods comfortably, and then says, “Think Andy’s got us on the dunes again tomorrow.”

It’s easy to slip back into talking about training and hockey, Nate knows some of the other guys think they’re weird for it, the fact that they discuss hockey even during the off season, but Sid likes talking hockey and Nate likes talking to Sid, so it’s the perfect thing to discuss.

They stay in the hot tub until the sun has gone down, towelling themselves off as they get out.

“This was good eh.” Sid says quietly with a grin,

“It was.” Nate agrees, “And if you want nothing else to change, or you don’t want stuff to change for a while then that’s ok.”

Sid shoots him a look, “So you don’t want to come sleep in my bed then?”

Nates eyes widen enough that he’s worried they might pop out of his head, “I mean, I’m not going to say no.” He’s had daydreams about crawling into Sidney Crosby’s bed since before he realised the significance of it.

“Come on then.” Sid reaches out easily and takes him by the hand, “Let’s go to bed.”

Nate wakes up the next morning with Sid’s arms wrapped around him, he takes a quick selfie, showing Sid’s sleeping form plastered across his back and sends it to the boys.

G: Told you so.  
T: AWWWW YEAH GET IN  
E: About damn time.

Nate grins, and closes his phone off, ignoring his friends and snuggling back into Sid’s arms.

**Author's Note:**

> come yell about sidnate and the fact that they live next door to each other but don't actually use nate's house [@princesstillyenna](https://archiveofourown.org/works/25883026)


End file.
